DHL claims high-tech leadership in Italy after MIT buy

Published5 October, 2016

Deutsche Post DHL Group contract logistics arm, DHL Supply Chain, has bought niche Italian operator MIT Safetrans, saying that it is now the country’s leading player in the hi-tech life sciences and healthcare industry. The move also adds 20 operating sites to DHL Supply Chain Italy’s network – making a total of 60 – as well as increasing the workforce to 800. It follows DHL’s purchase of Italian healthcare logistics firm Eurodifarm in 2011.

President and chief executive of DHL Supply Chain Italy, Eddy De Vita, said the purchase “allows us to transfer the know-how we have developed in highly specialised and innovative niches into all the other sectors, further fostering our leading position. We are now aiming to assert ourselves as an operator with the largest portfolio of added-value services capable of satisfying the most demanding companies.” MIT, established in 1983, operates in all hi-tech sectors such as pharmaceuticals, banking and vending through a network of 20 logistics centres.

Services offered range from commissioning magnetic resonance machines and ATMs or sanitation of medicinal products. MIT is also market leader in distribution of life-saving products such as radiopharmaceuticals. In 2015, the company reported revenues of EUR48 million and before-tax earnings of EUR6 million.

MIT founder and chairman Emilio Mondelli, added: “Our company is the result of a venture which began over 30 years ago, resulting in the creation of a niche operator and market leader in Italy.”

Under the agreement MIT will maintain its management independence and current distribution structure, along with its membership of the TENESO specialised European high-tech network, where MIT is a founding member.